Oral Piercing: Jewellery, FAQs & Guide

Oral piercings are available for both the tongue and frenulum in the mouth. The tongue piercing is the most common form of oral piercing but there are other types of mouth piercing that are growing in popularity such as the smiley piercing.

What’s an oral piercing?

An oral piercing describes a few different types of piercing, including the tongue, smiley, frowny, web, and venom. The tongue and venom piercing are placed directly through the tongue whereas the smiley, frowny, and web are all pierced on different parts of skin called a frenulum. This is either between the mouth and gums or between the mouth and tongue.

What is a frenulum piercing?

A frenulum piercing is a piercing which is placed through the skin webbing in the mouth. The frenulum piercing can describe a web piercing which is under the tongue, a smiley piercing which is on the upper gum frenulum, or a frowny piercing which is on the lower gum frenulum. The vampire piercing is also a frenulum piercing but is very rare. It is placed on the frenulum in the upper mouth above the position of ‘vampire fangs’.

Does frenulum piercing hurt?

A frenulum piercing does not hurt very much. Most people report that it is more painful than a piercing to soft tissue such as an ear lobe but less painful than a cartilage piercing. You should only feel a short pain when getting your frenulum piercings as the layer of skin is very thin so the piercing procedure is over very quickly.

How long does a frenulum piercing take to heal?

The frenulum piercing usually takes 4 – 12 weeks to fully heal but this may vary depending on the location of your piercing. To ensure your frenulum piercing fully heals within the healing time make sure to keep up with a regular aftercare routine by rinsing your mouth using a saltwater solution or Tea Tree Oil. Ensure your oral hygiene is excellent and regularly use alcohol-free mouthwash to clean your mouth after eating. If you don’t keep up with good aftercare you may find that your piercing takes longer to heal.

Which tongue piercing is better?

Some people worry about the tongue piercing side effects as it is known to be potentially uncomfortable during initial healing, especially when compared to other piercing locations. After getting your tongue piercing, you will find that initially your tongue swells but this should reduce within a few days. Sucking on small ice cubes and drinking cold water can help to reduce the swelling and you should find that after a week your tongue is back to normal.

Types of Tongue Piercing

Tongue Piercing: The most common oral piercing placement is the tongue piercing. This is placed vertically through the tongue, in the centre. The price of this piercing is usually £30-£35 and the jewellery used is a straight barbell.

Venom Piercing: The Venom Piercing is a unique oral piercing which creates a striking look on both men and women. The location of the piercing mimics the placement of snake fangs where venom is released when they deliver a bite, hence the name Venom Piercing. This price of this piercing is usually £30-£35 and the jewellery used is barbells.

Types of Tongue Web Piercing

Smiley Piercing: The smiley piercing is the most popular type of web or frenulum piercing because it is the most visible. It is placed on the frenulum between the upper gum and mouth and will usually show when you smile. However, the size and shape of your lips may mean that the piercing does not show when you smile or that it is visible all the time. The price of this piercing is usually £30 - £35 and the jewellery used is a barbell or BCR.

Frowny Piercing: The frowny piercing is placed between the lower gum and mouth on the frenulum. Not everyone can accommodate this piercing as the size of the frenulum and gap between the gums and mouth varies from person to person. The price of this piercing is usually £30 - £35 and the jewellery used is a barbell or BCR.

Web Piercing: This tongue frenulum piercing is placed underneath the tongue on the thin skin (or web) that attaches the tongue to the mouth. The price of this piercing is usually £30 - £35 and the jewellery used is a barbell or BCR.

There are other types of oral piercing that are extremely unusual. For example, the Vampire piercing involves piercing the frenulum on either side of the upper mouth. It gets its name because the piercing jewellery often hangs below the lips in the same place as vampire fangs.

As you can see there are plenty of locations for mouth piercings so whether you want a piercing that you can show off or one that is easily hidden there are plenty of options that will help you find the one that suits your lifestyle, work, or desired aesthetic. Oral piercing is a fun way of expressing your alternative vibe and has plenty of jewellery options for an easily customisable look.

Oral Piercings With Blue Banana

Typically the most common type of oral piercing is a tongue piercing consisting of a straight or curved barbell placed through the tongue. However, in recent years there has been increased popularity for under tongue piercings such as web piercings.

If you’re unsure about your next oral piercing or are interested in more information, let us tell you about the different types of tongue piercings:

Tongue Piercing – A straight or curved barbell through the centre of the tongue.
Venom Piercing – A double tongue piercing which mimics snake fangs.

Specialist Oral Piercings:

Smiley (Frenulum) – Also known as a "Scrumper”, a smiley piercing is a body piercing through the upper lip frenulum.
Frowny (Anti Smiley) – An oral piercing through the lower lip frenulum.
Web – A tongue web piercing is through the frenulum located underneath the tongue. The recommended jewellery for this type of oral piercing is a circular barbell.

Many of these piercings will be hidden for much of the time, especially the Web and Frowny piercings, which makes them appealing to people who need to cover their piercings for work.

When it comes to choosing a mouth piercing it’s important to understand the types of piercings available and how they will impact your body. With Oral piercings, it is important to understand and perform rigorous cleaning procedures in order to reduce the risk of infection. Although all piercings require vigilant aftercare, it’s important to understand the unique maintenance procedures that are required for your oral piercing aftercare.

If you’re considering an oral piercing it’s important to understand that you’ll need to refrain from contact, such as kissing, as well as maintaining high levels of dental and oral hygiene to reduce the chance of infections. For some tongue piercing aftercare including frenulum and web, jewellery types need to be chosen carefully to reduce rubbing and damage to the tooth enamel.

For more information on Oral Piercings at Blue Banana please read our FAQs below or go straight to our Tongue, Venom, Smiley, Frowny, or Web Piercing articles to learn about the procedure, pain scale, and recommended jewellery.

Oral Piercing Aftercare Advice

Oral piercings can be difficult to heal if a strict aftercare regime isn’t followed. These piercings are placed inside the mouth which means extra care needs to be taken to avoid debris building up around the piercing jewellery and wound. Make sure to rinse your mouth after eating in order to clear away any build-up.

Your regular cleaning routine should be carried out twice a day. Swill a saltwater solution to keep your piercing wound clean and continue with this routine throughout the healing time. For more detailed information about how long each type of oral piercing takes to heal, as well as other information about each piercing, please see our specific page guides.

Other Guides & Ranges

Please Note: Blue Banana piercing information is based on knowledge from our experiences as one of the UK's top piercing studios. All details provided should be read alongside professional advice. Please see our full Piercing Articles Disclaimer, here.

Smiley Piercing Jewellery

Frowny Piercing Jewellery

Web Piercing Jewellery

Venom Piercing Jewellery

Tongue Piercing Jewellery